How did the policy of appeasement begin?
The opening stages of appeasement emerged from the aftermath of World War I. The Versailles Peace Treaty imposed harsh terms on Germany, stripping it of border lands with France and Poland, demanding heavy reparations, and limiting its armed forces. In the early years of the 1920s and 1930s, Western powers sought ways to avoid another large-scale conflict by easing tensions with Germany and offering concessions to reduce the risk of war.
Over time, Germany moved to rejoin international institutions and gradually rebuilt its strength. The Nazi regime, which took power in 1933, showed little interest in compromise; it pursued growth and revenge, emboldened by what appeared to be Western reluctance to confront aggression. By the mid-1930s, Germany began rearming and extending influence, testing the limits of what the Allies would accept without triggering a crisis.
Hitler combined strategic planning with a pragmatic approach to risk. He understood that provoking a full-scale war before Western powers were ready could backfire. From 1935 to 1938 his aims were pursued in stages: reintroducing conscription, reestablishing a navy, and, in 1936, moving into the demilitarized Rhineland in violation of Versailles. The first unit to reach the area carried orders to withdraw if confronted by French forces, and surprise followed as German civilians greeted the move with quiet approval despite the lack of direct French opposition.
The French government hesitated to fight, partly due to economic pressures at home. Hitler believed Western nations were not prepared to resist him with force, and that they could be steered into a position where war might be avoided altogether. The broader West’s response to intimidation, coercion, and pressure became known as the appeasement policy.
Munich Zrada
In 1938, Germany sought to leverage what it claimed was the disadvantageous treatment of ethnic Germans in Czechoslovakia, especially in the Sudetenland. A propaganda campaign framed Czech policy as oppressive, and Hitler demanded the transfer of the Sudetenland to the Reich by October 1, 1938. The Wehrmacht prepared for an invasion aimed at “liberating” local Germans.
President Edvard Beneš of Czechoslovakia faced a tough military reality. Although Czechoslovak forces were well prepared and the country boasted strong industrial capacity, a general mobilization was underway by September and nearly a million people reported for service within 24 hours.
Across the Channel and in Paris, the Allies were unprepared to confront Germany. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain embraced appeasement, hoping to avert another war. Hitler countered with assurances that Sudetenland would be Germany’s last demand and that peace would follow. To maximize pressure, a staged reading of alarming reports helped shape public perception. Hitler declared that he would retaliate against those who opposed him.
On the night of September 29–30, 1938, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy agreed to cede the Sudetenland to the Reich by October 10. Czechoslovakia, not invited to the negotiations, faced a stark sacrifice. The agreement, known in the Western world as the Munich Agreement, signaled a surrender to a stronger opponent and left Prague to contemplate a grim future.
Historian accounts highlight that this settlement reflected the fear of renewed war and the belief that compromise could preserve peace. Yet observers also noted strong opposition from within the German ranks and from those who warned that appeasement would not stop aggression.
In the years that followed, the implications of Munich shaped alliances and policy choices. The decision to yield to demands without armed resistance demonstrated how attempts to appease might embolden aggressors and delay necessary defense. The episode left a lasting imprint on European diplomacy and collective security, illustrating how appeasement strategies could backfire when confronted with a determined expansionist power.
Nazis don’t keep their promises
Following Munich, Czechoslovakia faced a rapid shift in its political and military fate. The new authorities struggled to defend a territory that had been undermined by external decisions and by internal resignations. The leadership sought alignment with Berlin, hoping to avoid further upheaval while continuing to resist occupation.
Hitler pushed forward with plans for expansion, including exploiting financial needs and exploiting the strategic value of Czech resources. In March 1939, he moved to force a change in governance by supporting the declaration of Slovakia’s independence as a way to enable German intervention with a smoother path. The British and French response shifted toward direct negotiation with the Nazi leadership as they faced the reality that isolated resistance could prove ineffective.
A rapidly escalating sequence culminated in the invasion of Czech lands in March 1939, a move that proceeded with limited military confrontation. The occupation established the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, with the goal of Germanizing the region and embedding it within the Reich’s administrative framework.
German authorities outlined plans for the assimilation of populations and the dismantling of Czech identity. Within the administration, leaders sought to align policies with German interests while maintaining a façade of local governance. The occupation did not trigger an immediate Western military response, but it did influence future diplomatic calculations. In the summer of 1939, as Nazi ambitions widened toward Poland, Allied support for Poland hardened. That tension set the stage for a broader conflict, ultimately igniting World War II.